Part 15

Next morning the sun dried my clothes early; I put them on, and went forward to see where I was. I had not walked very far, till I found I was got upon a little desert island, though very pleasant, where there grew several sorts of trees and wild fruits; but I perceived it was very far from the continent, which much diminished the joy I conceived for having escaped the danger of the seas. I notwithstanding recommended myself to God, and prayed him to dispose of me according to his good will and pleasure. At the same time I saw a vessel coming from the main land, before the wind, directly to the island. I doubted not but they were coming to anchor there; and being uncertain what sort of people they might be, whether friends or foes, I thought it not safe for me to be seen. I got up into a very thick tree, from whence I might safely view them. The vessel came into a little creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying a spade and other instruments fit for digging up the ground. They went towards the middle of the island, where I saw them stop and dig the ground a long while; after which I thought I saw them lift up a trap-door. They returned again to the vessel, and unladed several sorts of provisions and furniture, which they carried to that place where they had broken ground, and so went downward; which made me suppose it was a subterraneous dwelling.

I saw them once more go to the ship, and return soon after with an old man, who led a very handsome young lad in his hand, of about fourteen or fifteen years of age --They all went down at the trap-door; and, being come up again, having let down the trap-door, and covered it over with earth, they returned to the creek where the ship lay: but I saw not the young man in their company. This made me believe that he staid behind in that place under ground, at which I could not but be extremely astonished.

The old man and the slaves went aboard again, and the vessel being got under sail, steered its course towards the main land. When I perceived they were at such distance that they could not see me, I came down from the tree, and went directly to the place where I had seen the ground broken. I removed the earth by degrees, till I found a stone that was two or three feet square. I lifted it up, and saw that it covered the head of the stairs, which were also of stone. I went down, and came into a large room, where there was laid a foot-carpet, and a couch covered with tapestry, and cushions covered with rich stuff, upon which the young man sat, with a fan in his hand. I saw all this by the light of two tapers, together with the fruits and flower-pots he had standing about him. The young lad was startled at the sight of me; but to rid him of his fear, I said to him as I came in, Whoever you be, sir, do not fear any thing: a king, and the son of a king, as I am, is not capable of doing you any prejudice; on the contrary, it is probable that your good destiny has brought me hither to deliver you out of this tomb, where it seems they have buried you alive, for reasons unknown to me. But that which makes me wonder, and what I cannot conceive, (for you must know that I have been witness to all that hath passed since your coming into this island), is, that you suffered yourself to be buried in this place without any resistance.

Scheherazade broke off here, and the sultan arose, very impatient to know why this young lad was thus abandoned in a desert island, as to which he promised himself satisfaction next night.

FIFTY-FIFTH NIGHT.

Dinarzade perceiving it was time to call upon the sultaness, said, Sister, if you be not asleep, pray resume the story of the third calender. Scheherazade gave her no occasion to repeat her request, and went on in this manner:--

The young man, continued the third calender, recovered himself at these words, and prayed me, with a smiling countenance, to sit down by him; which when I had done, he said, Prince, I am to acquaint you with a matter so extraordinary in itself, that it cannot but surprise you.

My father is a merchant jeweller, who, through his ingenuity in his calling, has acquired a great estate. He has many slaves and also deputies, whom he employs to go as supercargoes to sea with his own ships, on purpose to maintain the correspondence he has at several courts, which he furnishes with such precious stones as they want.

He had been married a long while, and without issue, when he understood by a dream that he should have a son, though his life would be but short; at which he was very much concerned when he awoke. --Some days after, my mother acquainted him that she was with child: and what she supposed to be the time of her conception agreed exactly with the day of his dream. She was brought to bed of me at the end of nine months, which occasioned great joy in the family.

My father, who had observed the very moment of my birth, consulted astrologers about my nativity, who told him, Your son shall live very happily till the age of fifteen, when he will be in danger of losing his life, and hardly be able to escape it: but if his good destiny preserve him beyond that time, he will live to grow very old. It will be (said they) when the statue of brass, that stands upon the top of the mountain of adamant, shall be thrown down into the sea by prince Agib, son of king Cassib; and, as the stars prognosticate, your son shall be killed fifty days afterwards by that prince.

As the event of this part of the prediction about the statue agrees exactly with my father’s dream, it afflicted him so much, that he was struck to the very heart with it. In the mean time, he took all imaginable care of my education until this present year, which is the fifteenth of my age; and he had notice given him yesterday, that the statue of brass had been thrown into the sea about ten days ago, by that same prince I told you of. This news has cost him so many tears, and has alarmed him so much, that he looks not like himself.

Upon these predictions of the astrologers, he has sought by all means possible to falsify my horoscope, and to preserve my life. It is not long since he took the precaution to build me this subterranean habitation to hide me in till the expiration of the fifty days after the throwing down of the statue; and therefore, since it was ten days ago that this had happened, he came hastily hither to hide me, and promised at the end of forty days to come again, and fetch me out. As for my own part, I am in good hope, and cannot believe that prince Agib will come to seek for me in a place under ground in the midst of a desert island. This, my lord, is what I have to say to you.

While the jeweller’s son was telling me this story, I laughed within myself at those astrologers who had foretold that I should take away his life; for I thought myself so far from being likely to verify what they said, that he had scarce done speaking, when I told him, with great joy, Dear sir, put your confidence in the goodness of God, and fear nothing: you may consider it as a debt you was to pay, but that you are acquitted of it from this very hour. I am glad that, after my shipwreck, I came so fortunately hither to defend you against all those that would attempt your death. I will not leave you till the forty days are expired, of which the foolish astrologers have made you apprehensive; and, in the mean while, I will do you all the service that lies in my power; after which, I shall have the benefit of getting to the main land in your vessel, with leave of your father, and yourself; and when I am returned into my kingdom, I shall remember the obligations I owe you, and endeavour to demonstrate my acknowledgments in a suitable manner.

This my discourse encouraged the jeweller’s son, and inspired him with confidence in me. I took care not to tell him I was the very Agib whom he dreaded, lest I should put him into a fright, and took as much care not to give him any cause to suspect it. We passed the time in several discourses till night came on: I found the young lad of ready wit, and partook with him of his provisions, of which he had enough to have lasted beyond the forty days, though he had more guests than myself. After supper we continued some time in discourse: at last we went to bed. The next day, when we got up, I held the basin and water to him; I also provided dinner, and set it on the table in due time; after we had done, I invented a play to divert ourselves, not only for that day, but for those that followed. I prepared supper after the same manner as I had prepared dinner; and having supped, we went to bed as formerly. We had time enough to contract friendship. I found he loved me, and for my part, I had so great a respect for him, that I have often said to myself, Those astrologers who predicted to his father, that his son should die by my hand, were impostors; for it is not possible that I could commit so base an action. In short, madam, we spent thirty-nine days in the pleasantest manner that could be, in a place like that under ground.

The fortieth day appeared; and in the morning, when the young man awoke, he said to me, with a transport of joy that he could not restrain, Prince, this is the fortieth day; I am not dead, thanks to God and your good company. My father will not fail to be here anon, to give you a testimony of his gratitude for it, and shall furnish you with all that is necessary for your return to your kingdom: but in the mean time, said he, I beg you to get ready some water very warm, to wash my whole body in that portable bagnio, that I may clean myself, and change my clothes, to receive my father more cheerfully.

I set the water on the fire, and when it was hot, put it into the moveable bagnio; the youth went in, and I myself washed and rubbed him. At last he came out, and laid himself down in his bed that I had prepared, and covered him with his bed clothes. After he had slept a while, he awoke, and said, Dear prince, pray do me the favour to fetch me a melon and some sugar, that I may eat some, and refresh me.

Out of several melons that remained, I took the best, and laid it on a plate; and because I could not find a knife to cut it with, I asked the young man if he knew where there was one. There is one, said he, upon this cornice over my head. I accordingly saw it there, and made so much haste to reach it, that while I had it in my hand, my foot being entangled in the covering, I fell most unhappily upon the young man, and the knife run into his heart in a minute.

At this spectacle I cried out most hideously; I beat my head, my face, and breast; I tore my clothes; I threw myself on the ground with unspeakable sorrow and grief. Alas! I cried, there were only some hours wanting to have put him out of that danger from which he sought sanctuary here; and when I myself thought the danger past, then I became his murderer, and verified the prediction. But, O Lord! said I, lifting up my face and hands to heaven, I intreat thy pardon, and if I be guilty of his death, let me not live any longer.

Scheherazade perceiving day, was obliged to break off this doleful story. The sultan of the Indies was moved with it, and felt very uneasy to think what would become of the calender after this; and resolved that Scheherazade should not die that day, because she was the only person that could resolve him.

FIFTY-SIXTH NIGHT.

Dinarzade awaked the sultaness next morning as usual. If you be not asleep, sister, said she, pray tell us what passed after the death of the young man. She went on as follows:

Madam, continued the third calender, addressing himself to Zobeide, after this misfortune, I would have embraced death without any reluctance, had it presented itself to me. But what we wish to ourselves, whether good or bad, will not always happen. Nevertheless, considering with myself that all my tears and sorrows would not bring the young man to life again, and the forty days being expired, I might be surprised by his father, I quitted the subterranean dwelling, laid down the great stone upon the entry of it, and covered it with earth.

I had scarce done, when casting my eyes upon the sea towards the main land, I perceived the vessel coming to fetch home the young man. I began then to consider what I had best do; I said to myself, if I am seen by the old man, he will certainly lay hold of me, and perhaps cause me to be massacred by his slaves when he has seen that his son is killed: all that I can allege to justify myself will not persuade him of my innocence. It is better for me then to withdraw, since it is in my power, than to expose myself to his resentment.

There happened to be near that subterranean habitation a large tree with thick leaves, which I thought fit to hide me in --I got up to it, and was no sooner fixed in a place where I could not be seen, than I saw the vessel come to the same place where she lay the first time.

This old man and his slaves landed immediately, and advanced towards the subterranean dwelling, with a countenance that showed some hope; but when they saw the earth had been newly removed, they changed colour, particularly the old man. They lifted up the stone, and went down; they called the young man by his name, but he not answering, their fears increased; they went down to seek him, and at length found him lying upon the bed, with the knife in his heart, for I had not power to take it out. At this sight they cried out lamentably, which increased my sorrow: the old man fell down in a swoon. The slaves, to give him air, brought him up in their arms, and laid him at the foot of the tree where I was; but notwithstanding all the pains they took to recover him, the unfortunate father continued a long while in that condition, and made them oftener than once despair of his life, but at last he came to himself. Then the slaves brought up his son’s corpse, dressed in his best apparel, and when they had made a grave, they put him into it. --The old man, supported by two slaves, and his face covered with tears, threw the first earth upon him, after which the slaves filled up the grave.

This being done, all the furniture was brought up from under ground, and, with the remaining provisions, put on board the vessel. The old man, overcome with sorrow, and not being able to stand, was laid upon a sort of litter, and carried to the ship which stood out to sea, and in a short time was out of sight. The daylight which began to enter the sultan’s apartment, obliged Scheherazade to stop here; Schahriar arose at the usual hour; and for the same reason as before, he prolonged the sultaness’s life, and left her with Dinarzade.

FIFTY-SEVENTH NIGHT.

The next morning, before day, Dinarzade addressed herself to the sultaness in these words; My dear sister, if you be not asleep, be pleased to continue the adventures of the third calender. You must know then, sister, said Scheherazade, that the prince went on with the relation of his story to Zobeide and the company as follows:

After the old man and his slaves were gone with the vessel, I was left alone upon the island. I lay that night in the subterranean dwelling, which they had shut up; and when the day came, I walked round the island, and stopped in such places as I thought most proper to repose in.

I led this wearisome life for a whole month; after which I perceived the sea to be mightily fallen, the island to be much larger, and the main land seemed to be drawing near me. In fact, the water grew so low, that there was but a small stream between me and the main land. I crossed it, and the water did not come above the middle of my leg. I walked so long upon the slime and sand, that I was very weary; at last I got upon firm ground, and when at a good distance from the sea, I saw a good way before me somewhat like a great fire, which gave me some comfort; for I said to myself, I shall find somebody or other, it not being possible that this fire should kindle of itself; but when I came nearer hand, I found my error, and saw that what I had taken for a fire was a castle of red copper, which the beams of the sun made to look at a distance as if it had been in flames.

I stopped near the castle, and sat down to admire its admirable structure, and to rest awhile: I had not taken such a full view of this magnificent building as it deserved, when I saw ten handsome young men coming along, as if they had been taking a walk; but what most surprised me was, that they were all blind of the right eye: they accompanied an old man, who was very tall, and of a venerable aspect.

I could not but wonder at the sight of so many half-blind men all together, and every one blind of the same eye; as I was thinking in my mind by what adventure all these men could come together, they came up to me, and seemed very glad to see me. After the first compliments, they inquired what had brought me thither? I told them my story would be somewhat tedious, but if they would take the trouble to sit down, I would satisfy their request. They did so, and I related to them all that had happened unto me since I left my kingdom, which filled them with astonishment.

After I had ended my discourse, the young gentlemen prayed me to go with them into the castle; I accepted the proffer, and we passed through a great many halls, antechambers, bedchambers, and closets, very well furnished, and came at last into a spacious hall, where there were ten small blue sofas set round, separate from one another, upon which they sat by day, and slept by night. In the middle of this circle stood an eleventh sofa, not so high as the rest, but of the same colour, upon which the old man before mentioned sat down, and the young gentlemen made use of the other ten; but as each sofa could only contain one man, one of the young men said to me, Comrade, sit down upon that carpet in the middle of the room, and do not inquire into any thing that concerns us, nor the reason why we are all blind of the right eye; be content with what you see, and let not your curiosity go any farther.

The old man having sat a little while, rose up and went out; but he returned in a minute or two, brought in supper to those ten gentlemen, distributed to each man his portion by himself, and likewise brought me mine, which I eat by myself, as the rest did; and when supper was almost ended, he presented to each of us a cup of wine.

They thought my story so extraordinary, that they made me repeat it after supper, and it furnished conversation for a good part of the night. One of the gentlemen observing that it was late, said to the old man, You see it is time to go to bed, and you do not bring us that with which we may acquit ourselves of our duty. At these words the old man arose, and went into a closet, from whence he brought out upon his head ten basins one after another, all covered with blue stuff: he set one before every gentleman, together with a light.

They uncovered their basins, in which there were ashes, coal-dust, and lamp-black; they mixed all together, and rubbed and bedaubed their faces with it, in such a manner that they looked very frightful. After having thus blacked themselves they fell a weeping and lamenting, beating their heads and breasts, and cried continually, This is the fruit of our idleness and debauches.

They continued thus almost the whole night, and when they left off, the old man brought them water, with which they washed their faces and hands; they changed all their clothes, which were spoiled, and put on others; so that they did not look in the least as if they had been doing so strange an action.

You may judge, madam, how uneasy I was all the while: I wished a thousand times to break the silence which those young gentlemen had imposed upon me, and ask questions; nor was it possible for me to sleep that night.

After we got up next day we went out to walk, when I told them, Gentlemen, I declare to you, that I must renounce that law which you prescribed to me last night, for I cannot observe it. You are men of sense, and do not want wit; you have convinced me of this; yet I have seen you do such actions as none but madmen could be capable of. Whatever misfortune befals me, I cannot forbear asking, why you bedaubed your faces with black? How it comes that each of you have but one eye? Some singular circumstance must certainly be the cause of it; therefore I conjure you to satisfy my curiosity. To these pressing instances they answered only, that it was no business of mine to ask such questions, and that I should do well to hold my peace.

We passed that day in conversation upon indifferent subjects; and when night was come, and every man had supped, the old man brought in his blue basins, and the young gentlemen bedaubed their faces, wept and beat themselves, crying, This is the fruit of our idleness and debauches, as before, and continued the same actions the following night. At last, not being able to resist my curiosity, I earnestly prayed them to satisfy me, or show me how to return to my own kingdom; for it was impossible for me to keep them company any longer, and to see every night such an odd spectacle, without being permitted to know the reason.

One of the gentlemen answered in behalf of the rest, Do not wonder at our conduct in regard to yourself, and that hitherto we have not granted your request: it is out of mere kindness to save you the pain of being reduced to the same condition with us. If you have a mind to try our unfortunate destiny, you need but speak, and we will give you the satisfaction you desire. I told them I was resolved on it, let what would be the consequence. Once more, said the same gentleman, we advise you to restrain your curiosity: it will cost you the loss of your right eye. No matter, said I; I declare to you, that if such a misfortune befal me, I will not impute it to you but to myself.

He farther represented to me, that when I had lost an eye, I must not hope to stay with them, if I were so minded, because their number was so complete, and no addition could be made to it. I told them, that it would be a great satisfaction to me never to part from such honest gentlemen, but if there were necessity for it, I was ready to submit; and let it cost what it would, I begged them to grant my request.

The ten gentlemen perceiving that I was so fixed in my resolution, took a sheep and killed it, and after they had taken off the skin, presented me with a knife, telling me it would be useful to me on a certain occasion, which they should tell me of presently. We must sew you into this skin, said they, and then leave you; upon which a fowl of monstrous size, called a roc, will appear in the air, and taking you to be a sheep, will come down upon you, and carry you up to the very sky; but let not that frighten you; he will come down with you again, and lay you on the top of a mountain. When you find yourself upon the ground, cut the skin with the knife, and throw it off. As soon as the roc sees you, he will fly away for fear, and leave you at liberty: do not stay, but walk on till you come to a prodigious large castle, covered with plates of gold, large emeralds, and other precious stones: go up to the gate, which always stands open, and walk in: we have been in the castle as long as we have been here; we will tell you nothing of what we saw, or what befel us there: you will learn it yourself; all that we can inform you, is, that it hath cost each of us our right eye, and the penance which you have been witness to, is what we are obliged to do, because we have been there. The history of each of us in particular is so full of extraordinary adventures, that a large volume would not contain them. But we must explain ourselves no farther.